Sounds easy enough. Open your e-mail and start going through it, right? Wrong. That is why your e-mail is on overload now, you hate the thought of cleaning it out. Old e-mails, forgotten e-mails, and the e-mails you forgot to read. Time to go through it!
Now your e-mail is your land. You make the rules, but I have a few suggestions that might become habit-forming. My first suggestions - take care of it as it comes in. Don’t read the e-mail when it first comes in and then get back to it later. No, do it now.
Timing. The easiest way to tame the lion is to choose two or three set times during your work day to check your inbox. At that time review e-mails, reply where needed, and process any work that needs to be done. Control the e-mails now, so they don’t get out of hand later.
Think. When you are going through your e-mails, think before replying. Does the e-mail really need a reply, or is it more for informational purposes? Not everyone needs a nice e-mail saying “Thank you.” This takes your time and the receivers time. Always think before replying to make the most use of your time.
Quick. Replying to e-mails doesn’t have to be lengthy and windy. Be straight forward and to the point. Always be kind with an opening, but then get to the purpose of the e-mail. Save small talk for a weekly lunch with the colleagues.
File. I know it is easy to just file away because you never know what you might need, right? Well, honestly, 99% of what you file, you may never need again. This is important because you take up time searching through all of those e-mails to find the right one. Think about what you truly need to file for work purpose - otherwise get rid of it.
Do you have a tip or suggestion when it comes to taming the e-mail inbox? Share it with the readers of The Office Gal. Leave a comment or contact me and I will add it to our list!
This is an original The Office Gal post.
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Tags: e-mail, e-mail tips, Office Organization, Productivity, The Office Gal, Time Management